The American Rescue Plan Act Provides Support for Community Health Centers
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For Immediate Release Contact: Tara McCollum Plese March 26, 2021 Phone: 602-739-1830 Email: [email protected] The American Rescue Plan Act provides support for Community Health Centers On March 25, the White House announced a substantial investment in the nation’s Community Health Centers to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatment in communities most hard-hit by the virus. The funding will also help health centers maintain and increase operational capacity. The funding, derived from the American Rescue Plan Act which was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Biden on March 18, recognizes the critical role the nation’s Community Health Centers play in protecting at-risk communities. Community Health Centers strive to provide greater equity in accessing COVID-19 services. Community Health Centers continue to build vaccine confidence and ensure that low-income and vulnerable people are not left behind in the fight to eradicate COVID-19. • The federal funding opportunity will support a variety of current and anticipated future health center needs related to COVID-19 and, in some cases, cover unreimbursed costs health centers incurred since the pandemic first hit the U.S. dating back to January 31, 2020. • Support is also available for basic primary and preventive services not only to maintain current health center services, but also to address “recovery and stabilization” activities in anticipation of serving pent-up demand for different services that people have postponed due to the pandemic. According to the HHS/HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care, a total of 1,376 Community Health Centers may submit funding plans for a 2-year spending period. Allocations for each individual health center We would like to thank our members of Congress for their support of community health centers’ mission- to provide "affordable and accessible community-oriented, high quality, culturally effective primary healthcare for everyone in the state of Arizona." Arizona Health Centers would like to thank Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Senator Mark Kelly, Representative Tom O’Halleran, Representative Raul Grijalva, Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, Representative Ruben Gallego, and Representative Greg Stanton for their support of the American Rescue Plan Act and for their ongoing support for Community Health Centers and the communities they serve. .